The invention relates to a filter-attachment machine in, for example, the tobacco-processing industry. Such machines comprise conveying devices for products in the tobacco-processing industry and at least one drive, in particular a main drive, for the conveying devices. These machines also have a pull-off device for a cover tape and a cover tape cutting device. The cover tape is conveyed from the pull-off device to the cover tape cutting device and is cut by this cutting device into tape sections of a predetermined length. The tape sections are then transferred to a product on one of the conveying devices.
In addition, the invention relates to a method for operating a filter-attachment machine in the tobacco-processing industry.
A filter-attachment machine of this type is manufactured and sold by the assignee of the present application under the trade name MAX. For the production of filter cigarettes in a filter-attachment machine, a cover tape is pulled off a bobbin, is provided with glue on one side and is continuously cut into small cover tape sections in the cutting device. The cover tape sections are individually attached to cigarette-filter plug-cigarette groups and are wound around these groups in such a way that the groups are combined to form double-length filter cigarettes. During the subsequent processing operation, these groups are cut into individual cigarettes and are processed further. In order to cut the cover tape, a cutting drum around which the cover tape is guided and a blade drum cooperate so that the blades cut the tape crosswise to the conveying direction.
When the filter-attachment machine is stopped, small paper scraps are generated during the cutting of the cover tape in the cutting device. In case of a machine stop, the paper tape movement is switched off the moment the last tobacco rod and double-length filter have been provided with a cover tape section. To avoid the unnecessary use of cover paper, a steep ramp at the pull-off drums quickly shuts down the paper movement. At the same time, the machine discharges the last, cigarettes from the machine with a fixed empty-running speed. Since the speed of the cover paper apparatus is synchronized with the speed of the conveying drums for the filter-attachment machine, the speed difference that develops between the cover paper and the suctioning drum for the cover paper is larger because the deceleration of the pull-off drums occurs over a shorter period of time and the cutting and suctioning drums rotate at a fixed speed until the machine is empty. This speed difference results in the generating of interfering cover paper scraps while the cover paper suctioning drum continues to rotate and suction the stopped cover paper. In the process, the cover paper held in place by the suctioning drum is moved forward slightly because of the friction and is cut off. These extremely small, cut-off scraps underneath the cover paper roll represent a considerable reduction in quality. A special suctioning device was therefore developed for removing the small paper scraps.